Peaceful with a Chance of Chaos
by toomanytheories
Summary: It's always peaceful at Horitsuba Academy. But just how did that peace begin? Starting with just Yuuko and Kurogane, this story follows the lives of the trio, the gang, and more as they enter Horitsuba and redefine peace. Be prepared for the usual chaos!
1. Prologue: Why Not?

**Prologue: Why Not?**

Kurogane glanced through the pile of applications.

"Sooo~? What do you think?" He glanced up. The chairman leaned back and put her feet up on her desk, her butterfly anklet tinkling against the wood. Today, she was wearing a light yellow cocktail dress, a red blazer and a tiny matching red hat with long, speckled yellow feathers hanging down from it. "Are they good enough?"

"…Is this a joke?"

"Of course not. This is serious business, right? Out of everyone who applied for the athletic scholarship, I handpicked my favorites and gave them to you!"

"You think I want to give a scholarship to these people!?"

Yuuko smiled innocently. "Why not?"

"Why NOT!?" He slammed one of the applications onto her desk. "Who would give a scholarship to someone who claims running late to school every day is her special talent!?!?"

Yuuko's eyes widened in understanding. "Ahh, but doesn't that mean she'll be good at track and field?"

"That's not the issue here!!!"

Yuuko frowned, and then her face lightened considerably. "What about the next person?"

Kurogane scanned the paper. "Highest possible levels in kendo, karate, judo, aikido, and archery… sworn ninja protector of the Imonoyama family…"

"Sounds like you two would get along well, doesn't it?"

"…currently enrolled in CLAMP Academy…"

He stopped, thought a moment, and then looked up at the chairman with an annoyed look on his face.

She beamed at him. "Well?"

"I'd give him the scholarship, but I don't think he'd want it."

"…Your reasoning."

"CLAMP Academy is much better known than we are. I know you well enough by now to guess that you yourself submitted this so we could have a chance at stealing their star athlete for ourselves."

"Eh~? I couldn't possibly-"

"CHAIRMAN!!!"

"Okay, I did! You killjoy, you pick up on the smallest things."

"That's not a small thing!!!"

"Well, if he did transfer here, we'd get some lovely publicity, right~?"

"He wouldn't. Transfer, that is. If he did, he'd also be separated from that Imonoyama kid."

"Ah! I suppose so… next,then?"

The room was silent for few moments.

Kurogane suddenly held the application out at arm's length with a look of deep fury and embarrassment.

"This person claims surfing the internet for doujinshi is a sport! And not just ANY doujinshi, but, BUT-"

Yuuko looked confused, for once. "Give it here."

He threw the paper at her, which she caught gracefully. As she looked it over, a knowing smile gradually replaced her confusion. She burst into laughter.

"OHOHOHOHO! So THAT'S why you're blushing!"

"WHO WOULDN'T!?"

"You should rejoice that you have fangirls! Anyway, I didn't choose this one, it seems to have chosen us. It seems our author wants to be in Horitsuba Academy herself."

She turned to face the crumbling fourth wall. "By the way, the only people allowed in Horitsuba Academy are genuine CLAMP characters or their other selves." She winked. "Like me and Kurogane-sensei here."

"Fangirls?! Author!?!? Ch-Characters!?!? What the hell are you talking about, and why are you facing left!!?!??!"

"Nevermind. In fact, by the good grace of the author, please forget everything that happened in the last 25 sentences, including this one."

The room was silent a few moments.

Kurogane suddenly held the application out at arm's length with a look of deep fury and embarrassment.

"This person claims fighting in some sort of virtual reality is a sport!"

"...Is that embarassing? You're blushing."

He looked confused. "No, it's not."

"It's okay. I suppose she couldn't do away with the body's memories, huh." Luckily, Kurogane couldn't hear her.

"But... well, it's just another way of saying he's a gamer, right? How is that athletic at all!?!"

"It may or may not be like that. But no, video games are not generally an athletic sport."

"Chairman, if everyone who actually applied has these kind of ridiculous… talents, I'll just go scouting myself!" He picked up the pile of papers and tossed them in the trash.

"Ah. You missed one." Yuuko held out the paper to him. He tried to grab it, but she pulled back at the last moment. "It's only one, so just read it. Okay~?"

He eyed her warily, then took it and read it.

Yuuko looked on with a smirk in her eyes.

"He was trained by our archery coach?"

"Mmm-hmm, apparently he was Coach Yukito's protégé."

He slowly read the rest of the application. "A temple boy, huh?"

"Yes. Oh, and he goes to a local high school right now, by the way."

"…You…"

"Hmm?"

"You wanted me to give this boy the scholarship from the beginning, didn't you?"

"Of course not~! It was a coincidence that his application was left behind~!"

He pointed at her in anger. "Aren't you the one always saying that there's no such thing as coincidence!?"

"There isn't."

"Now you're contradicting yourself."

Yuuko took a long, refreshing sip of sake. "Ahh! …In any case, it would be nice to give him the scholarship, wouldn't it? He'd be reunited with his old coach, and I'm sure he could rise to athletic stardom quite quickly."

"Heh!" He put the application down on the desk. "Lunchtime is almost over, so I should head back now."

Yuuko swung her feet down to the ground and leaned forward.

"His interview process starts tomorrow, by the way."

"HAAAH!?!?"

"You should clean up you office a bit. Make sure you treat him to some of your famous green tea, okay~?"

Yuuko stood up and pushed the stuttering Kurogane out of her office. Returning, she picked up the application, stood by the full-length window overlooking the campus gates, and smiled.

"Welcome to Horitsuba Academy, Doumeki."


	2. Chapter 1: If

**Chapter One: If...**

The afternoon sun shone down over the road. The trees, full with red and yellow leaves; birds singing peacefully; the kids playing a few blocks down; all created a perfect picture of harmony.

Or, more accurately, it would create such a picture, if there wasn't one thing in the way.

"YOU! Why are you following me!?! Don't you have club activities or something?"

"Cancelled."

"Isn't it always like that?!?" The blue-eyed boy pouted. "Just because your temple is this way, though…"

Doumeki glanced at his companion out of the corner of his eye. "I'm not going home yet."

"Eh!?"

"… I have to check to see if the letter came."

"Oh, that's right, you applied to Horitsuba Academy, didn't you? Isn't it a bit late for acceptance letters to be sent out, though?"

"It was probably sent a while ago."

"You mean you haven't checked yet!?! Geez, are you that assured that you're getting the scholarship!?"

"That's not it. If I get in…" Doumeki stopped. A hint of a shadow crossed his face. "…Watanuki…"

"Hmm?" Watanuki stopped and turned to face him, his hands stuck nonchalantly in his pockets. "What?"

Doumeki stared at Watanuki, who quickly began to look uncomfortable.

"What is it already!?"

"… You'll fail science class."

"DOUMEKI, YOU BASTARD! JUST BECAUSE YOU HELPED ME OUT THAT ONE TIME DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO LORD IT OVER ME!!! I can handle myself perfectly well in science as long as they're not talking about uncertainty factors or quarks or whatnot."

"Learn to count. I helped you five times."

"Whatever!"

* * *

Doumeki stared at the envelope in his hands. His name and posting address were handwritten on it in graceful, embellished strokes. On the other side, sealing the envelope, there was the official Horitsuba Academy insignia.

Other than that, however, it looked like it came from a child's stationary set. The envelope was smaller than a postcard and was covered in butterflies. A faint yet familiar smell came from the paper.

"Well? Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to open it?!?"

He tilted his head back slightly. Watanuki stood there with his arms crossed, a highly annoyed look on his face.

"Why did you follow me?"

"Don't steal my line! I just want to find out if I'll be tolerating another year with you or not."

"You open it, then."

"WHAT?!"

"Here. You open it." He held out the envelope to Watanuki, who stared at it.

"Are you just going to stand there all day or-"

"I'll open it, dammit!" He snatched the envelope from Doumeki and carefully tore the seal.

The letter inside was also handwritten on a personal stationary sheet. He lifted it to his face and sniffed.

"…Plum blossom…?" He felt some kind of powder on the back of the letter and switched hands. His fingertips were reddish-orange, and when he rubbed the powder between his thumb and index finger it felt smooth and gave off a sharp smell. After a pause, he licked it thoughtfully.

"It's _li hing mui_! But who would put _li hing mui_ in a letter, let alone an official one like this?!?"

He adjusted his glasses and read the letter out loud.

_Doumeki Shizuka-kun,_

_We are pleased to announce that you have received a full athletic scholarship to Horitsuba Academy. Congratulations! We look forward to having you on our campus and archery team. If at all possible, we would like to arrange your transfer by New Year's rather than by the beginning of the next academic year._

_Ichihara Yuuko, Chairman of the Board_

_Motosuwa Kurogane, Head of the Athletics Department_

_Tsukishiro Yukito, Archery Coach_

He paused. "What is with the odd date!? They might as well wait until April when first term starts."

He glanced up, expecting to see a vaguely happy look on Doumeki's face, or even his usual poker face. But Doumeki looked oddly troubled.

He bit back a comment about how at least he'd be able to go to school in peace earlier than he anticipated, and continued reading the letter.

_PS: If for any reason at all you don't want the scholarship, please give notice in writing or in person to one of the above people by November 19th. Any later and it will cost you. Oh, and it's quite expensive to attend Horitsuba without a scholarship. Very, very expensive indeed. Although there are non-monetary options…_

_PPS: If you don't want the scholarship, then obviously you won't be attending Horitsuba, so the above statement makes no sense. I apologize for our chairman._

_PPPS: I'm attempting to enlighten someone else, so it does make sense. Not to you, but it does!!_

_PPPPS: It won't make sense to anyone!!!!_

_PPPPPS: Really~? I bet it makes sense to a lot people. See? YOU'RE starting to understand, right? Kurogane-sensei, let's continue this conversation off the page, okay~? This is Doumeki's acceptance letter, not a middle schooler's note._

"Ummm… That is one weird acceptance letter. Why couldn't they have rewritten it to make sense?"

Doumeki took the papers from him and glanced over the letter. "The nineteenth was yesterday."

"No thanks for pointing out the obvious."

"…was that day chosen on purpose?"

Watanuki blinked, then his eyes widened. "Don't tell me you're seriously planning on turning down the scholarship!"

"My mother wanted me to apply for it in the first place. It wasn't something I decided for myself."

"But… HORITSUBA, Doumeki! Sure, I hear it's a bit odd, but the academics are amazing!"

"Do you really want me to go that badly?"

"Umm, er, it's a great opportunity, that's all."

"…I see."

Watanuki fidgeted. "I should probably… head on home… Dad should be back from picking up the twins by now."

"Don't get lost."

"WHY THE HELL WOULD I?!?! Geez, it's not that far away!"

As he left the post office, he glanced back. Doumeki was still staring at the letter with that strange look on his face.

Watanuki slowed down. And then, for no particular reason he could think of, he turned onto a different street from that leading to the apartments.

* * *

Okay, a few notes: Yeah, I know it shouldn't take a month and a half to write a short chapter, so I'm sorry about that. On the other hand, I made it in real time :)

Names will be written the Japanese way of last name first.

Several characters that don't appear in the CDs or omake chapters will appear here. I'm going to try to integrate them into the main plot if possible. Speaking of the main plot, there IS one, and it follows the arc of the canon story.

For the curious that would be CD 1, CD 2, omake 1, CD 3, omake 2, omake 3, CD 4. Hopefully more, but with TRC over... :*(

Lastly, in case you had no idea what was going on with the _li hing mui_, it's chinese plum powder. It's actually really good, it's a little sour and a little sweet and definitely addicting. It takes some getting used to, though. (kind of like BL ;) ) I live in Hawaii so we use it on pretty much any type of food you can think of. It's great with mangos or in popcorn, btw. Using it in a letter, however, is the kind of thing only Yuuko would do...^^


	3. Chapter 2: Worry

**Chapter 2: Worry**

A bell chimed to signal the end of classes.

The chairman, draped lazily over her swivel chair, peered out the window. Today she wore a simple black pants suit and accompanying high heels. The outfit could have passed for conservative, had it not been so very form-fitting. To set off the black, her hair was pulled back on one side with a barrette in the shape of a half-opened rose, covered in red and purple jewels.

The doors to the main school building opened directly below her, and a handful of students trickled out of the building. All were wearing the distinctive red uniform of Horitsuba Academy. Yuuko prided herself on its design. The way the top was cut highlighted the boy's shoulders and torso in just the right way, while also accentuating just the right amount of curve on the girls. She smiled. Come New Year's, there would be quite a few people who would wear that uniform for the very first time.

As the small group of clubless people exited the main gate, they made sure to avoid a rather conspicuous person. It wasn't the uniform that brought out attention; he clearly attended Cross Private School, one of the few other schools Horitsuba shared this area of Tokyo with. He could've been waiting for his girlfriend or brother or anyone, really, and in fact there were a few other Cross students who were also outside the gate doing just that.

The reason why everyone left such a large space around him was because he appeared to be having a lengthy argument with himself, complete with very wide hand gestures and spinning. Yuuko chuckled.

This was the third day in a row he had come to the school.

The first day, he had rounded the corner and stared at the building for a good hour before suddenly turning away. The second, he had made it to the gate, but as soon as classes got out he had a small panic attack and ran back the way he had come.

Today he had been there earlier than any of the other Cross students. So early, in fact, he probably skipped out on his final class.

She glanced at the clock. It was now ten minutes after the bell rang, and he hadn't budged. He had, however, seemed to come to some sort of decision. He took a few steps towards the school, hesitated a moment, took another step – then stopped and pulled something out of his pocket.

She looked closer. It was his cellphone. He looked at it a few moments. Then he put it in his bag without answering it. He glanced up at the school, had a final flail, and walked back the way he had come.

She sighed. "Poor boy. He's only delaying the inevitable."

Two small knocks on the door were followed by two cheery voices. "You have a visitor!"

She turned towards the door. "Send them in."

The door opened, held on either side by two elementary division girls. The gym teacher burst into her office between them.

"Chairman! That guy came to the school again. He's disturbing my students! They keep edging closer to the gate to try to hear what he's saying!!!"

She smiled naughtily. "Are you absolutely sure that's the only reason?"

"What exactly are you implying?!"

"I don't think you'll have to worry about him much longer, Kurogane-sensei."

"Huh?"

"I've been watching him. He's going to keep his distance a few days, then he'll come in and make his request."

Kurogane leveled his red eyes at her. "You sound like you already know what that is."

"Because I do~! Remember the guy you gave the scholarship to?"

"What about him?"

"Remember the guy from CLAMP Academy you refused to give a scholarship to? How he would refuse because he needed to stick by the Imonoyama heir?"

"What do these people have to do with the CRAZY guy that's DISTURBING my PRACTICES!?!"

"Well, to Doumeki-kun, he's like that Imonoyama."

Kurogane stood still a moment. "Oh. Wait, shouldn't it be the archer who is coming to the school then? And why didn't he refuse the scholarship earlier?"

"He probably waited until the last minute to open the letter."

"You did revise the letter, didn't you?"

She tapped her feet to the ground and spun the chair. "Hmm? Who said it needed to be revised?"

"Well, I thought you were going to have someone type it out neatly and more coherently."

"Handmade things are the best, don't you agree~?"

"You sent it to him like that!?!"

"Not just that, I sent it along with a little present~!"

"…should I ask?"

She lightly covered her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed. "Well, it was all for Doumeki-kun's benefit. And, you know, a few people on the sidelines."

"Knowing you, I don't even think I want to know."

* * *

Hey, so now you know where Wata-chan went.

microwaved noodles: You'll just have to wait until next chapter to find that out XD And I'm updating my faves thanks to you ^^

Review please!!! I thrive on R&R! Also, feel free to ask questions, or make suggestions, or whatever really (just no flames please) pertaining to the plot. I'll try to answer and incorporate them when at all possible.


	4. Chapter 3: Indeed

_A/N: I had way too much fun writing this chapter, so the Douwata will have to wait until the next one :) Also, this takes place in reverse chronological order, again, for the sake of fun. The line breaks indicate when the earlier event begins. You can read it through chronologically afterwards, but it's not necessary to understand the story at all. Enjoy~!_

**Chapter 3: Indeed**

Yuuko smoothed down her slim, old-fashioned, cobalt blue skirt and adjusted the gathered sleeves while Kurogane talked. The back of her hair was done up in a tall bun tied with four bands of alternating blue and red, altogether giving off the look of a flamenco dancer. Kurogane stopped his tirade. She tapped his nose.

"You're angry about that? Really now, it's a compliment!"

"My voice isn't CUTE!"

"Well, some people might consider it as such."

"I DON'T WANT TO ASSOCIATE WITH SOMEONE LIKE THAT!!!!"

"Please. Calm. Down. Anyway, you're here for something else too, aren't you?"

"All the papers on my desk are soaked. I need replacements."

"List them and I'll get you new copies."

Five minutes later, Kurogane walked out of the office, a list in his hand to give to one of the assistants.

Yuuko waited. Then she picked up the phone that had been subtly off the hook this whole time.

"Do you understand what they are now?"

The voice on the other end was bubbly and cheerful to a fault.

"Yes, I get it! But why would he be so upset? I was only repeating what you told me to say."

"And I told you to say it because I knew you could get a reaction out of him."

The voice laughed. "So it was all an experiment! It's amazing how much people can be like chemicals!"

"Well… some people are unaware of the true meaning of chemistry, yes~?"

* * *

Kurogane stormed into the chairman's office. His entire face was red with anger.

"WHERE IS HE!?! HE CALLED FROM HERE WHERE IS HE! I'M GONNA BEAT SOME SENSE INTO HIM RIGHT NOW!!!!"

She raised her eyebrows. "Someone's lost a little composure. Now, calm down, sit down and stay."

"I AM NOT A DOG!!!!!!"

She grew more serious. "Sit. That's an order from me, as the chairman."

He sat, still red and shaking with rage.

She suddenly lightened up. "So, how'd it go?"

"INEVERWANTTOHEARFROMTHATTH-TH-THINGAGAIN!!!!!!"

"Too bad. I already hired him."

"HE'S NOT USING MY FIELD FOR HIS BLOODY EXPERIMENTS!!!!"

"I also already approved his curriculum plan. Really now, what's got you in such a huff?"

His face turned an impossible shade of red. "HE- HE…"

* * *

The phone rang.

Kurogane peeked over the sports magazine at it. He wasn't expecting any calls. He looked at the caller ID to check if it was important. It was Yuuko.

He sighed and picked up the phone. "What is it this time?!"

The voice on the other line was definitely not Yuuko's.

"Hmmm~? I believe this is the first time we've talked. Unless you're feeling any déjà vu~! Are you???"

"............" Was that… a guy or a girl?

The voice suddenly turned flirtatious – and unmistakably male. "Are you thinking, you sound just like I dreamed?"

"Who the hell are you?! And how did you get through on Yuuko's line?!?!"

"Waai~! Kuro-tan yelled at me!"

"What the HELL! My name is KuroGANE!"

"Don't you think a nickname is cuter~? Like Kuuuuuuro-puu or Kuuuuuro-rin?"

"CUT IT OUT WITH THOSE DAMN NAMES AND TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!!!!"

"I suppose I should get to the point, right?"

"THAT'S WHAT I JUST ASKED!!!"

"I'm Fai Flourite, and I'm going to be the new chemistry teacher. I wanted to shake things up a bit, so I was wondering if you could lend me the use of the P.E. field every once in a while?"

Finally some sense from that frustratingly high-pitched voice.

"What for?"

"Experiments. Like making rockets or testing how volatile some things get with water, that kind of thing."

"Aren't you supposed to follow the standardized curriculum?"

"We'll do that, too! I'm certain I can get all the students to appreciate chemistry and we'll whiz through the textbook in no time at all~!"

"Look, I know the chairman is unconventional, but do you really think she'll go for this plan?"

"She already did!"

"HAA-??"

"She told me I just needed to call you to let you know about it. Oh, she also said I should mention something called 'doujinshi'?"

Kurogane turned a deep shade of red. Because now that he thought about it, the name Fai _did_ seem recognizable… and he wasn't all that happy that he had no idea why.

"I'm not too familiar with the Japanese language or customs yet, so I'm not sure what that means. Do you know what it means, Kuro-pyu?"

"I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS!!! IT'S JUST NOT DECENT!!!!"

He took a swig of green tea in an attempt to calm himself.

"Oh, not decent, eh? Sounds like fun~!"

Unfortunately for the papers on his desk, he hadn't quite swallowed the tea yet.

"F-FUN!?!??!"

"Most things that are forbidden in some way are quite fun, don't you agree?"

"NO, IDON'T!!! AREYOUDONETALKINGYETBECAUSE- "

"Oh, there's just one more thing~!"

He waited silently, steaming.

"Your voice is really cute when you yell~!"

He hanged up immediately and ran straight to Yuuko's office.

* * *

Fai picked up on the other end of the phone. "Ciao!"

"Hello, this is Ichihara Yuuko from Horitsuba Academy."

"Ah! You must have received my application, then!"

"Yes, I did. And I'm quite impressed, I must say. But if you want to be a science teacher at Horitsuba… you'll have to pass a little test."

"What is it?"

"Tell me. What is the true meaning of chemistry, and can you give an example?"

Fai laughed. "That's all?"

"Yes."

"Let's see… the true meaning of chemistry is when something interacts with another, causing a reaction and a change. For example… love is chemistry."

Yuuko sighed. "A textbook definition… and an example using wordplay."

"I like to link science into everyday reality. It gets everyone much more involved and it's quite a bit easier to understand. So, how did I do?"

"You passed! Welcome to Horitsuba~! Now, there's just one little formality I'll have to put you through. Are you up for it?"

"Absolutely~!"

Not too long after, Yuuko patched him through to Kurogane and listened.

She smiled. "…Love, indeed."

* * *

Kurofai is too much fun ;) I'm not sure if I got the characterization right for Fai yet, I'll keep working on that though. And yes, I know Yuuko's final observation is a bit bold, but hey, Kurofai is REAAALLLLY obvious in canon Horitsuba so it fits well enough.

Also, about Fai's name: There are a LOT of different romanizations for it, but I went with Fai since that's how it's spelled in the Del Rey version, and Fluorite since in Tsubasa he was named for a fluorite stone. It's also very appropriate as he's a chemistry teacher in this world.

The resolution to Watanuki's issue will definitely be next chapter :D


	5. Chapter 4: Problem

_A/N: The promised resolution!_

**Chapter 4: Problem**

"Oi."

"My name is not 'oi'!"

Doumeki leaned up against the classroom door, watching Watanuki pack up his bag for the day. "You skipped the last P.E. class."

Watanuki jumped a bit. "I- I was sick that day."

"I saw you in the hallway, idiot."

Watanuki glanced up, very obviously trying to hide a bit of panic in his eyes, and very obviously failing. "I got sick after English class, so I went home."

"You didn't go to the nurse, though. And you weren't home."

"ARRRGH! Why do you ALWAYS have to be so-"

"Right?"

"NO! ANNOYING!" He picked up his bag and made his way to the door.

"I'm not going."

"What?" Watanuki looked at Doumeki and was surprised to see him looking so… no, calm wasn't the right word. He almost always looked calm. This was a look of… surrender.

"If I don't tell my parents I got the scholarship, I can just tell the school to not send Horitsuba my transcript. I can re-register here, for next year."

"No! That's something you earned! You have to go, and that's the whole problem!" Watanuki gasped and his eyes widened. He ran past a momentarily confused Doumeki and down the stairs before his resolve could break again.

"…the whole problem…?"

* * *

For the fourth time, Watanuki stood in front of Horitsuba Academy. The gates were large but not at all imposing. They were entirely made of silvery curves and curlicues, each gate taking the form of a butterfly wing. He took a deep breath and walked onto the campus with determination. He still had no idea what he was going to say or do, but… he had an odd feeling that no matter what, everything would be alright.

He reached to open the main doors. Before he could touch them, however, they opened up seemingly on their own.

He screamed bloody murder.

"Welcome to Horitsuba Academy!"

He stopped and looked down at the two elementary division girls smiling at him, and suddenly realized that they were the ones who had opened the door and that there was nothing to be afraid of. He sighed hugely. They giggled. The one on the right had short pink hair while the one on the left had long, pigtailed blue hair. He frowned. Was that even in dress code?

"Are you here to see the chairman?" They spoke at the same time again. Twins…?

"Er, ah, yes!"

They smiled brightly up at him, each taking one of his hands and leading him up the stairs to Yuuko's office.

"W-wait! Er, I'm not quite ready, can we… can we wait just a bit!?"

The pink-haired girl turned to him. "The chairman likes it best when people come on time!"

"But I never made an appointment!!!"

"Nevertheless," said the blue-haired one, "you've been expected!"

"Eh!?"

The two girls smiled up at him enigmatically for a few moments and then broke into giggles. They walked through the busy front office area and came at last to Yuuko's office.

"Chairman, your visitor's here!"

The voice on the other side of the door was smooth and elegant. "Thank you, girls. Send him in." They opened the doors.

Yuuko was arranged into a beautiful purple kimono patterned with pale plum blossoms, with a wide white obi tied in back. A pearl choker with an off-center lilac bow added a touch of uniqueness to the traditional clothing.

"Um! I – er, I'm not sure exactly why I'm here. That's not what I meant to say! I – I _am_ sure, but, uh, I don't quite know how to say this, sorry, I'm probably not making any sense – "

"What's your name?"

"Eh? Watanuki Kimihiro."

"The kanji is the same as for April first, right?"

"Yes! How did you know?"

Yuuko wrote down something on a paper in front of her.

"And your birthday?"

"A-April first… er, why are you asking me these questions?!"

"I'm filling out your application, of course!"

"EH!?!?!"

"You want to go to Horitsuba Academy, don't you?"

"But I never said anything!!!"

"You were shouting it at the top of your lungs just the other day. Something about how much you hated to grovel but he made that face and you would follow him anywhere and – "

"I NEVER SAID THAT! The only reason why I'm here is so he doesn't best me at something again!"

"Really~?"

"Yes, really! He's always been better than me, and I'm not going to let him beat me again! We're rivals! And he got this scholarship and I have to get into this school now or our rivalry ends with him winning! Dammit, I have to win at least once!!!"

"If you've convinced yourself that that's the real reason, then I guess it can't be helped." She tilted her head, remembering something. "Y'know, your rant sounds awfully familiar. Oh! Right! Hikaru said it to Kei, and of course before the first volume ends it's really quite obvious what she _truly _feels about him. Now that I think of it, would that be considered seiryuu selfcest?"

He frowned at her, slightly annoyed and definitely confused. This was the chairman of Horitsuba Academy? "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Moving on, what are your parent's or guardian's names?"

"Mihara Ichiro and Chitose."

"They got married after all! Oh, how sweet~! You do know that they both went here when they were young, don't you?"

"Yeah, they wanted me to register here last year, but I don't want them to pay so much money."

"It wouldn't be such a problem for them, would it? Didn't they go into the technology field?"

"Toys, actually. High-tech toys. I don't want to burden them… any more than I already have."

Yuuko studied his face."…I see. Siblings, and are they of school age?"

"Yes, Chiho and Chise, and yes. Wait, what about the price!? The letter said something about non-monetary options…"

"It's very simple."

"What is it?"

"You'll have to get a job here."

"WHAT!!?!?"

"Having an on-campus job will provide free room and board, and enough money to pay for food."

"Won't I need experience or something?"

She smiled her signature smile. Something about that smile unsettled him. It was as if she was thinking, _you have no idea what you're getting into, but I'm going to have lots of fun watching you try to figure it out._ Watanuki gulped.

"You can get experience later. Not too much later, or the fangirls will be mad, but later indeed."

"You're talking nonsense again."

"NOW!" She clapped her hands together, startling him. "Now we must find you the perfect job!" She handed him the application she had been writing on and gave him a pen. "Why don't you fill the rest of this out and I'll go look over the job list~!"

She pulled out a paper from under one of the many stacks on her desk and began to look over it.

"How did you find the right paper that quickly?!?"

She smiled. "It's convenient for the author."

He shook his head. This woman was _weird_.

Several minutes later, he finished filling out the application.

"Ne, ne, ne, how about this one? You can cook, right?"

"How do you know all these things about me!?!"

"I'll take that as a yes. How about being the assistant chef for one of the dorms? Then you can live in a dorm instead of in the employee's apartments."

His eyes widened. "That sounds perfect."

"Oh! And – " a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Come in~!"

The door opened. Three high school girls stood there.

"Ah! Speak of the devil! Watanuki, meet the high school student board. This is Sakura-chan, student body president, Tomoyo-chan, student body treasurer, and Himawari-chan, student body secretary." The girls smiled and bowed in turn.

Watanuki smiled back awkwardly. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too."

"Sakura-chan, your father will soon be working with this young lad!"

"Eh!?"

* * *

Yes, Watanuki met Himawari and he didn't go nuts! Because, you see, there's another reason for that happening later on... *taps fingers together and laughs like an evil genius* Okay, that was random.

Also, I realized that I uploaded a chapter on a Sunday that was written to be Saturday. So, um, let's just say Horitsuba is six years in the past or something. Hey, since they've already lasted through most of their first high school year, it fits the time skip. What a coincidence, huh? ;)

Review please! Pretty please with _li hing mui_ on top?

Oh, right, and the bit about Hikaru and Kei is from the anime/manga Special A. The guy who voices Kei also does the voice for Watanuki on xxxHOLiC, so if Watanuki is pulling a Hikaru, then it kinda is seiryuu selfcest.


	6. Chapter 5: Might

_A/N: Chiho=Chii of Chobits, Chise=Freya. Like in Kobato., the two in Horitsuba are normal, human twins. However, I decided to go with their apparent ages in Tsubasa (about 13-15) rather than their ages in Kobato.(8-10). Anyways, on with the story!_

**Chapter 5: Might**

"Mommy, I don't understand this problem."

Chitose looked up from the computer. Chiho held out the homework paper to her, her head tipped cutely to one side. The problem in question was simple enough for her to deal with, so she walked Chiho through the steps to solve it quickly. In return, her daughter gifted her with a bright, innocent smile and an enthusiastic hug.

Chise watched her twin with a frown. The way she acted like she was still in kindergarten, when they were about to enter high school… her frown twisted into a small smile. She was stuck between wishing Chiho was not so naïve and wishing she could stay innocent forever.

Their mother turned to her. "How are your studies coming along? Is there anything you need help with?"

"I'm finished, thank you." She put down the book she was reading – it was her fourth read through, so she didn't even bother with a bookmark – and quietly walked to the door. She began counting.

She heard the shouting long before she heard footsteps outside. She had gone just past a hundred when the door was flung open.

"Welcome home, Onii-chan."

Watanuki stopped mid-rant and smiled. "I'm back." They walked into the house together. Chitose and Chiho called out their greetings from the living room. Watanuki replied with his usual boundless energy, and then they were in the kitchen.

"Is something the matter?"

Suddenly he was back to ranting again. "It's all Doumeki's fault! Because of him, I'm now the chef for an entire dorm, and I have to cook that crazy woman lunch, and today, when we were making it all official, she even asked me to relay a message to him! As if she couldn't have just added it to the letter in one of her ridiculous postscripts. New Years!? I asked her why and she said it would all be explained there, so I _have_ to tell Doumeki, and…"

All the while he had been rushing around the kitchen, gathering ingredients and the proper dishes while Chise sat down just outside the kitchen, listening. She was good at listening. Since middle school, if not earlier, she had been something of a designated secret keeper for both her friends and her family.

Watanuki had somehow managed to turn the rant into a list of reasons why he should never have allowed Doumeki to have his phone number. She looked at him steadily until he finally slowed down and returned her gaze.

"Don't waste your time on regret."

"Ah! That's not what I meant. Just – did he have to leave so many pointless messages with that arrogant tone of his?! Here, listen!!! Some are from last week, when I went to Horitsuba instead of P.E., and some are from this past week." He handed her the cellphone and she called voicemail.

"You have six saved messages. First saved message –

'……………_'_

Next saved message –

'_Oi. If you skip P.E., your muscles will atrophy more. '_

Next saved message –

'_Pick up.'_

Next saved message – (there was a hint of angry concern in this one)

'_Where are you?'_

Next saved message –

'_You've been avoiding me all week. I know this has something to do with Horitsuba. Look, I've already decided, and I have to talk to you. I'll see you after school.'_

Next saved message – (this one was uncharacteristically quiet, almost hesitant)

'…………_Hey. About what you said. We still need to talk.'_

You have no more messages."

Chise handed the phone back to her brother with a soft but significant sigh. "That last one; that was about the 'problem'…?"

"Yeah. But do you see what I mean?! What the hell is the point of all that?!? He might as well leave a message about bubble gum, it's just as meaningless!"

"No, it isn't. Not a single word is meaningless." She looked up at him with a small smile. "I think it's sweet."

"S-s-s-SWEEET!?!?!?" Watanuki spun and waved his arms in the air, calling Doumeki many things that were quite rude and shall not be repeated here.

Chise got up and walked into the living room. Eventually she heard him getting down to preparing dinner, as tonight it was his turn. She pretended to resume her reading and thought about her brother. His issue was quite the opposite of Chiho's. He was less naïve then he let on, certainly less naïve than he himself would have preferred. So he lied. To himself, mostly. He betrayed himself so quickly that the false emotion would seem just like a real one. There was a term for his condition, often preceded by the word 'in'.

Occasionally, he did have his moments of clarity. In each of those instances he had sought her out, confided in her, and trusted in her objective responses. When he was being particularly thick, such as, for example, today, she would invite herself to his room and talk to him until she forced him into that place of clarity. Granted, the results weren't immediately obvious, but every once in a while he would say or do something that made it past the web of lies and into reality, unhindered.

And then it was time for another late night chat session.

* * *

She softly closed the door to Watanuki's room and tiptoed down the hallway. She passed the bathroom and glanced in at the clock. She sighed mentally; as she had suspected, this was one of the longest sessions they had held. When she reached the room she shared with Chiho, she closed the door gently behind her and stood there a while, just breathing and being present.

At least he had told Chiho and their parents about Horitsuba over dinner. Everyone had received it very well. She had, of course, pretended it was new news to her. The only person still out of the loop now was Doumeki. She allowed herself a tiny smile of hope. If her talk was at all effective, then Monday night ought to be interesting.

She knelt by her twin's bed, watching her as she slept. Her long blonde hair was spread out just a little, making it look like she had golden wings. She tucked a rebel hair that had sneaked over Chiho's face back into place. Ever so softly, she leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

She smiled as she remembered when the late night sessions had been just her and Chiho, just talking about silly, simple things like which constellations they liked best and what flavor of mochi was their favorite. Sometimes they still had their own late nights, but usually Chiho was too tired to keep her eyes open for long after a night of study.

Chise didn't study much, but she was confident that they would both pass their high school entrance exams. With both their parents as alumni and their brother as a soon-to-be Horitsuba Academy student, it was almost guaranteed that they, too, would one day enter the school.

It also meant that the time when Chise might not always be there to protect her beloved sister was now much closer.

She reluctantly got up and went to her own bed. It would be another hour before her thoughts quieted down enough to allow her to sleep.

* * *

This chapter is a little different from the others for a reason. Most of the time, I've been trying to write things that you could only see in a manga or hear in a drama CD. Chise is a hard character to write that way, so I decided, just for her character (for now), to write thought processes as well.

Her character is a bit darker as Freya in Chobits, but I decided to go midway between Freya's character and the Chise of Kobato., who is significantly younger and thus more innocent.

Unless Chise narrates another chapter, the rest of the chapters will stick to the action and dialogue most of the time. Doumeki may also be an occasional exception... I'm sure we all would like to know what he's thinking ;)

R&R please!


	7. Chapter 6: Advice

**Chapter 6: Advice**

Nobody noticed the slight changes in Doumeki's behavior.

He went to all his classes, arrived at the same time, sat through them with the same lack of expression on his face, but it was the little things that people failed to notice. When it was time to change classes, he would sometimes stray in a different direction for a few moments, searching out the crowds of students for one familiar face. In class he spent half the time glancing at the clock and the other half lost in thought. Today, he would think. I'll see him today and find out what this is all about.

Nobody noticed that when the lunch bell rang, it took him a few moments to realize that everyone else was getting up and leaving. Nobody noticed how he walked to the door a bit unevenly; a little fast for a few steps, slightly slow for the next few, still lost in thoughts of meanings and possibilities and feelings. Nobody noticed the surprise in his eyes when he saw Watanuki standing outside his classroom.

Watanuki. Standing. Outside his classroom.

He wondered if his imagination was strong enough to cause hallucinations. It waved a hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Doumeki! You got me in this mess so you can at least help me out now."

"…Hn?"

"WHAT THE HELL KIND OF RESPONSE IS THAT!?!? It's not like I was expecting the whole 20 questions from a moron like you but you could at least ask what I've been up to recently!!!"

The other students turned in their direction. The closest ones had covered their ears. Doumeki relaxed.

"You're real."

"Of course I am! Did you think I was a hologram or something?!"

As Watanuki crossed his arms, Doumeki noticed the double-layered bento he was holding. "Were you fasting this past week?"

"WHAT!? No! Why would you – " Watanuki followed Doumeki's gaze. "Oh. I was practicing. And that's where you come in, although why I would even agree to do this in the first place is beyond my current understanding!!! It was all Chise's idea."

There was a moment of silence that lasted slightly longer than either boy was comfortable.

"What I said last week…" Watanuki began. He suddenly seemed aware that they were still standing in a crowded hallway. He glanced from one side to the other as the surrounding students abruptly preoccupied themselves with their lunches.

"Let's go somewhere else. Somewhere more private."

Doumeki raised his eyebrows.

A vivid blush spread itself across Watanuki's face. His words came out in a furious hiss. "Not like that, you perverted freak, somewhere to eat lunch! And wipe that damn smirk off your face!"

"I didn't say anything."

Watanuki shouted at him all the way down the stairs.

* * *

They sat down at the bottom of a staircase in one of the less-frequented buildings.

Doumeki started to unwrap his bento.

"Wait! I wanted you to try the one I made."

"…You made me a bento?" He looked at the open box filled with food that, in his eyes, practically glowed with color.

"Don't get any stupid ideas! Like I said, it's for practice!" Doumeki picked up a piece of sushi and experimentally ate it. The sense of goodness and wholeness he got from eating it shocked him. How could someone so often in a sour mood make something so magnificently perfect? He wondered if he could somehow convince Watanuki to cook for him every day. Preferably for the rest of their lives.

"Practice for what?"

Watanuki suddenly started bawling. "Just thinking about it makes me depressed! I'm going to have to make breakfast, lunch and dinner for a whole dorm every day until graduation!!! It's so unfair that all _you _have to do is get a scholarship and you're in!"

He paled, having said a few words more and more quickly than he had planned.

Doumeki very nearly choked on a piece of tamagoyaki as his mind realized the implications. But he didn't. He took his time to finish eating it with an impassive face. Watanuki was just full of surprises today.

A couple dozen emotions flew across Watanuki's face in those few seconds of silence, too fast for even Doumeki to identify them.

"You're following me to Horitsuba?"

"NO, I'M _NOT_ FOLLOWING YOU, dammit, and that's not what I said!!! I'm just taking my parent's advice a year later than they expected."

"Cooking for a whole dorm… you're paying for it yourself, I take it."

"So?"

"Your parents won't pay?"

"They wanted to, but I said no. I'm already indebted to them enough as it is."

"What did you mean by 'the whole problem'?"

Watanuki opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a little squeak. Doumeki waited patiently.

"I meant just that, umm, I have – no. Starting over. I – you – stop staring at me! I'll say it, okay!? Just don't look at me right now!!! Seriously, do you have any respect at all!?!?"

Doumeki frowned, but turned away anyways. He focused instead on the sound of Watanuki's voice, which was steadily dropping to a whisper.

"… I'm… your only… rival."

Doumeki looked up, feeling quite exasperated but not letting his voice or face reveal it. "That's the big secret? You've made that very clear from the moment we met."

"I knew you wouldn't understand!!! Why, oh why, did I ever take her advice?!?!?"

"Find someone else to take advice from, then."

"But she said you would get it! Something about how rivals are commonly… well, nevermind. OH! I almost forgot! She also said there was a student orientation just at the start of winter break. It's not obligatory but it's recommended that we attend."

"She, meaning Horitsuba's chairman of the board?"

"Yeah. She's odd."

"No more so than you."

Watanuki sputtered indignantly. "I don't know anyone else who would say that to someone who just made them a bento!!! HEY, THAT'S MY FOOD, YOU ASSHOLE!!!"

"A word of advice."

"I'm not about to take YOUR advice, so you just shouldn't say it! Especially with your mouth full! In fact, you should just not speak at all!!!"

"It's about the bento, idiot."

Watanuki stopped and stood still for once. "Do you... think it's alright?"

Doumeki savored the silence before speaking.

"Next time, make inarizushi."

Watanuki's reaction was even more over the top than he expected. He smiled a little, and savored that, too.

* * *

And so the bento arguments begin :D

microwaved noodles: It says a lot about Watanuki that he saved the silent message, as well. He basically admitted to Chise (and the readers, of course) that he can identify Doumeki based solely on his breathing pattern. Which I'm sure the xxxHOLiC Watanuki would probably be able to do by now...

And you all get why Yuuko would have told him to tell Doumeki that he's his rival, right? It's kind of a CLAMP thing for the line between rival and more-than-friend to be strangely thin... although of course Doumeki wanted him to say something _else_.

R&R! Onegai! If you've read this far and haven't reviewed, please take a moment just to pick out something you liked or something you thought could've been done better and let me know about it. Thanks in advance! :)


	8. Chapter 7: Accustomed

_A/N: And now for something completely different..._

**Chapter 7: Accustomed**

"Oh, you look so lovely!"

A pink hair ornament shaped like a sakura blossom nestled in reddish hair. A pair of wide purple eyes lost in wonder. A hand raising a camcorder to one of those eyes, the other hand finding its place on a blushing cheek. A sigh of contentment.

"Umm, Tomoyo-chan?"

"You're perfect! That hair ornament with the dress I'm making you will be just right for the student orientation! To see you looking so beautiful in front of all of the new students will be a dream come true, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura tilted her head a bit and smiled. "Um, thank you." She rubbed her eyes and tried to stifle a yawn.

Tomoyo quickly became concerned. "Do you want to stay here and sleep today? I'm sure Himawari and I could come up with something to cover for you."

"No, no, I'm only a little tired! Besides, what kind of example would I be setting as the high school board president?"

"Do you need to rest, then? We still have some time before breakfast."

Sakura smiled her brightest smile. "I'll be just fine! Do you think Himawari-chan is ready yet?"

"I'll go check." She put the camcorder down and left their room. A few minutes later, the two dark-haired girls came in, only to find Sakura asleep at the desk.

"Poor thing. She's probably been skipping out on a lot of sleep lately to get all the work for the new student orientation arranged." Himawari sat down on one of the beds while Tomoyo took a spare blanket and draped it over Sakura. She leaned over and spoke softly in her ear.

"We still have twenty minutes before we need to leave, so until then, sweet dreams, Sakura-chan."

Sakura turned and mumbled a little. Himawari giggled.

A few moments passed before Tomoyo asked a polite question to fill in the silence.

"Are you all set for the orientation?"

"I'm pretty sure I've got it covered. Ten days. Can you believe it? Ten days from now, we'll be introducing a whole new class into Horitsuba!"

"Yes, it is amazing."

"What about you? Are all the finances okay?"

"Yes. Almost everything's already paid for. Of course, Sakura-chan has the worst amount of work, writing the speeches and arranging the placement for the clubs and such."

Himawari looked at Tomoyo who was still looking at Sakura quite tenderly and something clicked in her mind. Perhaps it was because this was one of the few times the two girls had spoken to each other without Sakura joining the conversation, or maybe it was because Himawari had a tendency to view people as half of a pair, or possibly it was just because it had been almost a year since she had come to Horitsuba and it was the right time to ask.

"Are you ever going to tell her?"

"Tell her…?"

"That you love her."

Tomoyo looked up, her eyes wide with surprise.

"I'm sorry I asked that completely out of the blue, but you two are really cute together and the way you look at her and talk to her, it's just the sweetest thing! You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Tomoyo's eyes softened. "It's true that I love Sakura-chan very much. But…" She turned back to Sakura, who was still sleeping quite soundly. "… she'll never understand that."

"And you're fine with that?"

She nodded. "I tried to tell her once when we were little, but she thought I meant it just as a friend. I told her then that I would explain it when we were older. As the years passed, though, I suppose I just grew accustomed to her cluelessness."

"Surely she would understand you now, though."

"Perhaps."

Himawari clasped her hands together and gave her a smile that was somehow both sincere and mischievous. "I can help, if you want! You know, drop the occasional hint or arrange some quality time alone for you two."

Tomoyo blushed. "That would be very nice, but it's really quite alright. I get the feeling that there's someone else meant for Sakura."

"But then, what about you?"

"I don't know. Maybe some people are meant to be alone." Tomoyo was smiling, not with sadness, but out of acceptance. "To be alone when the one you love is happy is itself a cause for one's own happiness."

Himawari pondered that a bit, and then nodded slowly.

* * *

The bell rang just as the trio hurried through the classroom door, Sakura blinking back the last of her sleepiness.

A girl with brown hair tied up into two braided pigtails turned towards them and smiled. "Good morning! You're safe, the teacher isn't here yet."

Sakura smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Chiharu-chan. Ne, did you understand last night's algebra homework?"

As the two girls went over the problems, Himawari wandered over to her seat near the middle of the class and plopped down. Tomoyo remained near Sakura, watching her, as always, with a sort of reverence in her eyes.

Most of the other students had already taken their seats and were chatting amongst themselves. Someone tapped Tomoyo lightly on the shoulder. She turned. The girl was small and waifish, with short, silvery-white hair and emerald eyes. She held a notebook closely, her arms crossed over it as if to protect it.

"What is it, Sue-chan?"

"Are you taking your lessons today?"

"Yes, my singing lessons are every Friday."

Sue relaxed the grip on her notebook and smiled a little. She then held it out to the taller girl.

"Please give this to Ora-sensei for me. It doesn't matter if you read it or not."

Tomoyo took the notebook and gently placed it in her book bag. "I won't read it. It's important to you, isn't it? I'll be sure to give it to her safely."

Sue nodded seriously, then turned and walked to her seat by the window.

The clipping sound of heels in the hallway gave everyone fair warning to find their seats. The door opened, revealing a woman wearing an old-fashioned long skirt and coat. She had long red hair and kind, light brown eyes.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning, Mizuki-sensei!"

"Well, today is the last full school day of the year. So let's go over the homework quickly and then we can move on to having some fun. How does that sound?"

Everyone cheered, with the exception of Sue. She was gazing out the window with an absent expression, watching the few remaining birds and the light snow drifting down.

* * *

Grrr this chapter just would. not. behave! Oh well. What do you think? Please R&R!


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